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Peter Falk, TV's 'Columbo,' dead at 83

Peter Falk, who was best known as the disheveled but deceptively smart TV detective "Columbo," has died at the age of 83.

Family members said the actor died peacefully Thursday night at his Beverly Hills home. No cause of death was specified.

Falk had suffered in recent years with dementia and Alzheimer's disease, his adopted daughter Catherine Falk told KNX-AM (1070).

Television historian Tim Brooks called Falk "one of the most iconic characters on television. He created the kind of person that was unique to TV, a very relatable person that viewers could feel close to. He was shambling and seemingly absent-minded, but not really. He wasn't just a character but someone you could really like."

Falk is survived by his wife of 34 years, Shera, and two daughters from a previous marriage.